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Asking for YOUR help

Big Al

By Big Al,
in Just plain ol' B.S.

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Big Al Newbie

Big Al

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Here's the scoop, there is an amusement park in the northwestern corner of Pennsylvania. A little park that's been around over a century now. This park has one of the worlds oldest wooden coasters and has quite a history behind the park itself. The name of the park, some of you may know it, is Conneaut Lake Park.

 

It is one of the few parks left today where a cover charge to enter is not even considered. Part of the community is actually living IN the park itself (yes there are peoples' houses on the park's property).

 

Now 2 years ago some vandals walked onto the property and set the pavilion ballroom on fire. The fire was so severe that it burnt down the dance floor, destroyed the restaurant below, destroyed the arcade, melted the globes for the street lights, dehydrated the mortar in the building across the street (which housed a scrambler ride that was in a pitch black room with black light effects everywhere), and destroyed the maintenance building.

 

The maintenance building housed multiple ride parts that were in storage, motors mostly, tools, and repair parts for the rides. Because of this careless act of vandalism, the park did not open the next 2 years. This year it finally has made a comeback with all rides opening EXCEPT The Big Dipper. The park's wooden (and only) coaster.

 

This park has been a place I visited nearly yearly as a kid and as I said, it's one of the few that you can just walk in buy a few ride tickets have some fun and leave without a $60 entry price tag. Food and beverages have always been welcome in the park and there are even picnic areas with grills to make a day of it.

 

So here's the deal. Pepsi is offering to fund projects that help communities. As a historic landmark, the coaster has been nominated for a $50,000 grant from Pepsi for the repair and reopening. All I ask is for your votes. Once a day until the end of July you can vote for her to be restored. Please help make a difference and keep her standing!

 

Here's the link: Pepsi Refresh Project Blue Streak

 

Thanks

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Big Al Newbie

Big Al

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Thanks guys. Remember, you can vote once a day not just once period. When I went to bed last night this was in 68th place. It's now in 49th. Top 50 now to get it into the top 10 and get her fixed so many generations after us can enjoy a taste of what amusement parks of the past had to offer.
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cyberquest Newbie

cyberquest

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voted.

 

did you see what #1 is? :rolleyes:

 

Teach youth the power of video media

How will the 50K be Used?

Budget Notes: The above budget will not cover training facilitation, utilities, travel expenses, student and staff meals, etc.

$ 21,000 3 Canon XF300 Video camera Systems

$ 8,000 Lighting, tripods and misc equipment

$ 11,000 10 video production workstations

$ 10,000 Cover volunteer expenses, insurance, labor costs

 

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Big Al Newbie

Big Al

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Yeah #1 kinda pisses me off... $10,000 for VOLUNTEER expenses?!?! Last I checked a VOLUNTEER didn't GET paid...

 

BTW I just checked the stats, The Blue Streak is in the #41 place now. Keep it up guys!

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Big Al Newbie

Big Al

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I was actually looking some information up and found a tidbit about another wooden coaster that was built before the Blue Streak. The Big Dipper from Geauga Lake Park is up for sale. I've heard they are asking $65,000 for the ride without the land it's on (land is for sale as well). I'm still looking for a bit more information on this one as well but hopefully something good will happen with this historical coaster built in 1925 (The Blue Streak was built in 1937 if I remember correctly).
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Big Al Newbie

Big Al

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It's up to 29th place now! Keep those votes coming. Once a day you can vote for this project. As long as it goes up a place or 2 a day it should be a shoe in for the top 10!
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Big Al Newbie

Big Al

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Thanks Jimmy. I know most of you guys don't really realize what this coaster really means to me. Just a quick bit of background about it and me:

 

This coaster was built back in 1937, it is the only remaining operational shallow coaster designed by Ed Vettel. Wikipedia states that this coaster is the 6th oldest wooden coaster in the US but I am actually still trying to find more information on this.

 

As for my history, back in the 80's there was a coaster at this park called the Wild Mouse. I was about 6 years old when my father decided to convince me to take a ride on it. Anyone familiar with the Wild Mouse coaster I'm sure knows how scary that thing can be to an adult let alone a 6 year old. But my father pointed out that there was "only 1 little dip. Nothing scary about that". So I rode it and it scared the hex out of me. I didn't ride another coaster until I was almost 18 years old. I wouldn't get on anything that went high in the air, fast, or spun any absurd amount. I went back to the park determined to ride the Wild Mouse again to cure myself of that fear only to find it was gone. Well determined to break me of the fear, a friend of mine literally grabbed my arm and dragged me into line at the Blue Streak and forced me to ride it.Since then, there's not been a ride I won't try. That's why this coaster means so much to me.

 

Besides, Conneaut Lake Park is a GORGEOUS amusement park intertwined with the neighborhood itself and one of the few (maybe the last? amusement park where you can merely walk in, ride some rides for whatever the cost of tickets is and walk out. You can even walk in not do a single thing and walk out without spending a dime.

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